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Jyothi, if you have MSN, I've PM'd you my addy, feel free to add me if you want. If you don't, then please let me know.

Just to update on my current situation:

My lifelist now stands at 176, with my year list at 138, and both are growing all the time - aiming to reach 200 BOU on my lifelist by the end of the year - fingers crossed.

I'm still going on the local RSPB group trips, and on the latest one Dan was going to be at the same location at the same time as me, purely by good fortune. That was at Lakenheath, fantastic views of a male Golden Oriole perched in the open, through Dan's 'scope - Thanks for that!

No twitching yet, but working on it, perhaps in the not too distant future...

I'm not as young as many of you (19), but I suppose I would still regard myself as a 'young' birder.

Despite my elderly status (comparatively ), I have only been birding for a year and a bit. In that time without being able to drive, or have anyone else to drive me, I have a life list of 169, and a year list of 153 (not really many rare birds in it, except Cattle Egret) I usually cycle around my local area, and sometimes I will go by train a bit further afield. As you can imagine there is not alot of twitching (although I have got Great Grey Shrike, Black-throated Diver, and Hawfinch through this method).

As Barn Owl has said, joining your local RSPB group is hugely beneificial to you as a birder, you get to know others birders, and you share in thier skills and experience (like you Barn Owl, I am the only young person in my group).

Also a young birder, interested in birds since birth. (My first coherent word was bird ) Seriously birding for a few years, life list (all USA) 239 birds (give or take a species) and the rarest bird on my list is the California Condor I saw in Grand Canyon. My dad takes me birding, as he also birds. Favorite guide is The Sibley Guide to Birds, favorite bird book is Condor by John Neilsen. Favorite birds are birds of prey. I've traveled around the country, visiting national parks and camping. Last year I went to 21 national parks, and added a good number of birds to my life list. Wherver I go, i'm am always birdwatching. Schoolyard, field trip, friend's house, anywhere. By the way, just a question for you other young birders, what do you friends think of your love of birds? (Mine tolerate to a degree, but it gets on their nerves when we're biking and I yell "Osprey!")

I'm not sure what to call myself, but I guess I was a young birder two years ago (when I started birding at 16). My life list is 243, and my birding has been rather sporadic, due to spending on excessive amount of schoolwork. I don't know any young birders in this area, although I do know some peers whose parents are birders. I was formerly interested in mammals, insects, reptiles and all aspects of natural landscape, but didn't had too much interest in birding until a local birder introduced me the hobby. Our family doesn't really travel for serious birding, but we often happen to stop by birdy destinations, which gives me some opportunities. My birding began in a nearby local man-made reservoir.

On the other note, my last day of high school is in three days!!! YIPPEEEEE!!! Strangely, I don't feel much different.

Tim

__________________Extinction is forever. Endangered means we still have time. We must protect global wildlife before they face the terrible extermination.

At 23 I am probably no longer 'young' in the sense used on this thread.

I pretty much never encountered anyone my age when I was a teenage birder. Around this time, I served for a while on the committee of the Fife Branch of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club. When I was introduced, the chairperson said "our other new member is Jonathan Dean (me), who will respresent our younger members." "i.e. I represent myself," I muttered under my breath: only a few us were below 45!

When I was introduced, the chairperson said "our other new member is Jonathan Dean (me), who will respresent our younger members." "i.e. I represent myself," I muttered under my breath: only a few us were below 45!

I know that feeling! My local Audubon chapter said basically the same thing when I was introduced (My dad and I both brought the median age down a few decades). I have yet to meet another young birder in person. By the way, what milestone (150, 200, 350, etc.)are you guys closest to? I'm 11 away from 250. It was annoying to go on a bird walk and get a buch of lifers, only to find they left me one below 240.

Hi, I'm Hubert, i'm form Poland and i'm young birder ;-) (17).
I'm seriously interested in birds for 5 years. My lifelist is 202 in Poland and 213 in whole world. The rarest bird is probably Lesser Sand Plover (can be Lesser Mongolina plover, I don't know which name is being used in English Language, BTW second sighting in Poland :] ). I'm member of OTOP's Warsaw Group. It is local group of Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (like RSPB but in Poland). If somebody is planning to visit Poland (especially near Warsaw), he/she can ask me about the best place for birding. Warsaw Group arranges trips(one they or few days) and everybody can join us. :]

In Britain the current name is Lesser Sand Plover, in fact I've never heard of a Lesser Mongolian Plover. Not too many sightings in Britain either, though I think a fair few more than two, probably due to a proportionately larger population of birders.

444 species had been recorded in Poland. During last year there were a lot of changes. One new species has been added to the national avifauna – the Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla, but one had been removed from list :/ because of one birder. He is swindler and it was proved to him. All of his reports was invalidated. But a few species was added due to genetic research. Here is website of polish Avifaunistic Commission:http://www.biol.uni.wroc.pl/komfaun/index.html (also in English).

Welcome to all the above youngsters, I didn't get into birding till I was 18 but found it led me into all the UK's best wildernesses and eventually broadened my interest in nature to include mammals, butterflies, moths and dragonflies as well.

There's no need to get into twitching early, the best thing is to learn common birds thoroughly first, then you will get more from a rare bird sighting. I advise keeping a notebook from day one and write down as much as you can without getting fed up with it: in twenty years time it will prompt your memories as well as settling arguments in the pub. I have not missed a day's entry in the last five years so I have an even chance of an alibi in any encounter with the Law as well!

Only just noticed this thread, good to see so many young birders around.... although I already know Dan and Josh (other hardcore 'kidlisters'). If you want to persue Snetsinger's record (though someone else now seems to be top) then the best piece of advice to becoming a world birder / lister; when picking a University - go to UEA! In my first term highlights included:-
October
Isabelline Wheatear (Languard), Paddyfield Warbler (Torness), Hoopoe (Boulmer), Laughing Gull (Featherstone), Long-tailed Skua (Sheringham), Daurian Shrike (Montrose).
November
Semi-palmated Sandpiper (Grutness, self-found), Chimney Swift and Desert Wheatear (Holy Island), Little Swift (Cromer), Grey-cheeked Thrush (Potter's Bar), Upland Sandpiper (Kingston Seymore), White-rumped Sandpiper (Salthouse) Desert Wheatear (Caister)
December
Sociable Plover (Rainham), Buff-bellied Pipit (Frampton)

All this is 'cause (to my knowledge) it's the only University with a birding and twitching scene. There are around 25 active birders based on campus, and until recently there was proper bird club. Before going to Uni I did'nt really twitch more that 70 miles, but it's really changed my perspective on british birding... as for world stuff - I also spent 4 weeks in Peru!
Apologies for the long, boring list but I just wanted to show a sample of the amount of birding it allows!

A great day out amongst fellow birders and an excuse to splash out on all sorts of books and gear, persuade your relatives to buy you an early Christmas or birthday present! Attend lectures on all sorts of exotic birding topics and some UK themes too.

The Birdforum stand is hosting gatherings of people from all over the country.

My 12 year old daughter likes the outdoor life and has her own bins, boots and a tent. You don't meet many young female birders, they seem to be rarer than young male birders.

Josh (Wrexile) is a member of the Peterborough Bird Club, he and Will Bowell are the youngest and keenest birders in the club. We only have one woman under 30 in the club.

I started birding at the age of 9 as a YOC member on Anglesey, carried on in the Solihul Bird Club and have been a member of the Peterborough Bird Club since 1999.

I've been fortunate enough to work for the RSPB, the Nature Conservancy Council, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and English Nature, soon to become Natural England, over the years. Careers in nature conservation are notoriously difficult to get into but volunteering for a local wildlife trust, joining the local British Trust for Conservation Volunteers group or summer volunteering for the RSPB can be a help in doing so together with the right college qualification.